Giving Thanks

Lake Tawakoni Campground

Three more weeks in Texas, this time in the northern part of the state near Dallas. It's another Thousand Trails park on Lake Tawakoni. We can see the lake from our windows. The park is old and spacious, full of deciduous trees losing all their leaves. We opted for a spot out in the open instead of on the lakefront under all the trees...for satellite reception of course, which everyone knows is a necessity of life. (How do people function without TV?!)

The park is so old that none of the sites have 50 amp power, and many have only water and electric (no sewer). Beauty comes at a cost. In this case, the cost is 20 amps. Fortunately, the weather is cool and we don't need the heavy-duty air conditioner. As a matter of fact, it's been unseasonably cold in Texas this fall. As I write, at almost noon, it's only 47 degrees, and the high temps are expected to be in the 50s and 60s for the next couple weeks...maybe until spring. But we're heading south again before then, so I don't care.

Yarn, threatening to take over the house...

We have a lot planned for early next year, but November and December have been quiet for us. We've been mostly sticking close to home. Mark's fixing things here and there around the house, and I'm crocheting baby blankets that I donate to pregnancy shelters. My good friend, JoAnn, recently helped me with this project by sending me yarn. I usually have three or four blanket projects in the works at any given time. Below are some samples. My hope is to encourage mothers to see the new life they are carrying as a tremendous gift from God...regardless the circumstances.

Keeping busy when you're retired takes a bit of an effort, I've found, and some planning. If we don't plan activities as soon as we arrive somewhere, we tend to do what we planned....nothing! One of the places Mark wants to visit while we're fairly near is Magnolia Farms in Waco. For the uninformed, it's the home base of Chip and Joanna Gaines of "Fixer Upper" fame. It's a long drive, but we'll make it a day trip in the car.

Other than that, we'll be taking a few shorter car rides to see the scenery, check out the nearby towns, do our grocery shopping, and so on.

We're feeling a little remote as we approach Thanksgiving, when being around family is traditional and important. And it may be tempting to get a little melancholy, but for the realization that we are tremendously blessed. After all, are living our dream. It's impossible, and frankly wrong, not to feel thankful for that! (In spite of the occasional nightmare.)

So, at this special time of the year that Americans set aside for gratitude, we give thanks to Him from whom all blessings flow. In honor of that, I've decided to go all out with a turkey dinner and pumpkin pie, solitude notwithstanding. And we'll be thanking God for all of you -- our friends and family -- and His abundant blessings as we chow down on Thursday!

Happy Thanksgiving...and God bless all  y'all!